He today unveiled a 10 point plan on how he proposes to develop the sport commercially, including "restoring cycling's credibility and properly dealing with cycling's doping history so that sponsors and commercial partners can once again trust our sport".

Cookson is involved in an increasingly bitter campaign against McQuaid, the Irishman who has led the UCI since 2005, and is hoping that the success he enjoyed in Britain will help persuade countries to back him at the election in Florence on September 27.

Under Cookson, Britain has become the most successful cycling country in the world with unprecedented success at the Olympics and providing the last two winners of the Tour de France, Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and Chris Froome this year.

"Cycling is a hugely popular sport, and there is a very large industry that goes with it," said Cookson.

"But it hasn't developed as it could or should have done.

"Sponsors hesitate about whether to stay in or join the sport and indeed two of the teams racing today in the Vuelta, like others before them, face going out of business at the end of this season."

Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the 2012 Tour de France, one of the performances which has helped Britain become the most powerful cycling country in the world

Other proposals include developing a coherent commercial strategy for the UCI's flagship events, evolving and developing cycling's digital strategy and online presence and helping raise the commercial interest in women's cycling

"The commercial development of many races and disciplines remains at best patchy, and even the UCI itself appears to struggle to finance its own activities," said Cookson.

"My track record at British Cycling speaks for itself. In the last two years, we've actually doubled British Cycling's membership, raised the revenue to a level on a par with the UCI itself and re-invested in the sport, evidenced by the success of British athletes, which has created more interest and more participation at grassroots level. It's been a true win-win.

"The UCI needs a similarly transparent and dynamic approach to the issues and opportunities of world cycling."

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